How Is Downcycling Different From Recycling?

Did you know that not all plastics are recycled? In fact, many plastics are downcycled. What is downcycling, and how is it different from recycling? We will explain in this article about recycling and downcycling: the basics for Australia.

What You Should Know about Recycling And Downcycling

Recycling, Ideally, means less need for virgin raw materials by processing waste products. It is possible to use recycled materials instead of mining or creating new raw materials. Broken down to their basic materials, the waste products are remade into new products.

The raw materials used in a product would only need to be extracted once, and those materials would constantly be recycled aving energy, labour and reducing impact on the environment from these processes.

Some recycling is better than other recycling. Some countries include burning things in their recycling rates, while some materials become less useful the more they are recycled. In the end, most recycling is really downcycling.

Recycling And Downcycling: The Basics

What Is Downcycling?

Downcycling is the recycling of materials into lesser quality products than the original materials. Downcycling often results in the production of materials that are not recyclable.

How Is Downcycling Different From Recycling?

Downcycling is the recycling of materials that results in a downgrade in the quality of the material. Downcycling is often done when the material is no longer usable for its original purpose but can still be used for another purpose. Downcycling converts waste materials into new materials of lesser quality than the original product.

In contrast, recycling is reprocessing materials into products of the same or greater value than the original product.

For example, paper is Downcycled into other paper products, types are made into roadbase, whereas glass is recycled, meaning class is remade into glass.

What Happens To Plastic When It Is Downcycled?

When plastic is downcycled, it is recycled into a lesser quality product. For example, recycled plastic can be turned into insulation, park benches, or floor tiles. However, recycled plastic cannot be recycled into new plastic products.

Which plastics are recycled and which are downcycled?

There is no definitive answer to this question as it largely depends on the specific recycling facility and what type of plastic is being recycled.

However, most recycling facilities will generally recycle PET plastic (used in water bottles and other beverage containers) and HDPE plastic (used in milk jugs, detergent bottles, and other household containers). Conversely, recycling facilities will generally downcycle different types of plastics, such as polypropylene (PP) and polystyrene (PS).

Plastics that are recycled are usually turned into new products such as buckets, park benches, or floor tiles. Plastics that are downcycled are generally turned into products such as plastic bags,

What Can You Do To Help Stop Downcycling?

Conclusion: Recycling and downcycling are both important, but it is essential to know their difference. By understanding the difference between recycling and downcycling, we can make better decisions about what to recycle and what to do to reduce waste with alternatives.